Fire Piston

navaho · Jan 29, 2007

Does anyone know anything about these an if they were used by our fore-fathers?

JiminTexas · Jan 29, 2007

No, they were not used by our forefathers. The first time that I saw one was in Viet Nam in 1967. It was used as a cigarete lighter and worked very well. I don't kinow that anyone knows the origin of these devices. They aren't particularly easy to make (the tollerances are very tight) and they don't last all that long (the tolerances again), but they but they do work well when they are working.

noworries · Jan 29, 2007

From what I have read they were around in Europe around 1800. They originate in Asia. So if that is true it would be plausable that sailors may have brought some back with them.

[url] http://www.firepistons.com[/url]

bub524 · Jan 29, 2007

Check ou the last issue of Backwoodsman. They have an article about them.

jeepwj992002 · Jan 30, 2007

I read that article. Very intriguing.

Phillip Allen · Feb 12, 2007

for me, it misses the point

tom hargrove · Feb 12, 2007

first time i see nam was in 1966 and belive me i sure wasnt looking for fire-pistons-

Walker357 · Feb 12, 2007

I was there in 66. I was very PC at the time! :grin:

Trkdriver99 · Feb 23, 2007

Iwas there 68-69 and I was PC for the VC.

Soinkuhndog · Mar 6, 2007

The article in backwoodsman is where I first saw them. A friend of mine's father-in-law made one for me. I've yet to get it to work. What's good tinder for the bottom of the plunger?

Soinkuhndog · Mar 6, 2007

I found this link that states that in 1807 a patent was fiven for a fire piston in England.
[url] http://www.onagocag.com/piston.html[/url]

It's such a fascinating invention and obviously used in the time period (somewhere). I vote on accepting them as an option. It's also a great history lesson.

LRB · Mar 6, 2007

It is a history lesson, only if you are a student of Asian history. The fire piston has no place in the reenactment of any American history, short of the 20th c. What would you think of an 18th c. British officer swinging a Samuri sword in one hand, and a pair of nunchuks in the other? They were around somewhere, but not here.

Soinkuhndog · Mar 6, 2007

I'm not 100% sure they were used in America; however, isn't it possible that immigrants from Europe would have brought firepistons with them in the early 1800s?

LRB · Mar 6, 2007

Possible, in the 19th c., I'll grant you that, but if they did get over here, obviously they didn't set America on fire did they? It is much better in this hobby, to work as much as we can, with what we know existed here, and was in common use, rather than to work with those things that only might have been, because they are just too kewl not to use.

paulvallandigham · Mar 7, 2007

I read somewhere on the internet searching I did on firepistons that the reason they were not more popular in this country was that about the same time, wooden matches became available and they were much easier to use to get a fire started. Old Fashioned American Capitalism wins out again.

The fire piston did have a brief success in some of the European countries, and along the East Coast of the USA, but the wood matches were far more practical in the West. ( ie. West of the Appalachian Crest.)

Soinkuhndog · Mar 7, 2007

I've read that Samuel Jones marketed the matches sold as lucifers -- that would have to be into the 1830s.

paulvallandigham · Mar 7, 2007

The fire piston was patented in England in 1807: The strike a light wood matches were invented in 1827.

TANSTAAFL · Mar 7, 2007

Wooden matches, when the first came out, were AKA Lucifer's, made fire & smelt of brimstone. :winking:

paulvallandigham · Mar 7, 2007

They still smelled as bad to me when I was a kid in the 1950s.

LRB · Mar 7, 2007

I always liked the smell. That may not be a good thing. What evil may lurk within my subconcious being? :hmm:

A type of match was in use long before, that was simply melted sulfer on a stick, but it needed an ignition source. I tried it, and they work pretty well, but don't let it drip on you. It will burn until it consumes itself. Been there, took a week to heal.

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